PREDATOR-Z

Question should be Head/cam or nitrous?

H/C takes my vote, I went N2O first, and while it is a lot of fun when needed, H/C is always there.

I have both BTW over 600rwhp when needed 434 NA.

98transguy

iTrader: (7)

another vote for both , just get someone that knows what they are doing to tune your car

EviLS1

iTrader: (8)

You're driving down an empty highway with your woman in the car. An 03 cobra pulls up. You can either:
A: Downshift and be gone
B: Tell him to hold on while you get your bottle set up, then be gone.

Superman09

iTrader: (65)

Hmmmm i am concluding.... Both have there drawback.... Cam, scary install and needs tune (Will get both done professionally), Nitrous, scary thoughts of blowing motor if something fails, set up wrong. Well i can be around 400 RWHP ALL the time or 450 RWHP when i turn the gas on and 350 all the time. I think i am leaning towards getting the cam done so i will ALWAYS have that power and the sick sound of the cammed LS1. Either route im going im getting the Fuddle 4000 2.4 STR, i talked to John and he said that it will have no prob holding a shot of nitrous and it will be good for that MS3 making the power real high. I would go Heads/Cam, its jsut money is an issue. $2000 will be hard to swing as it is, heads are at least another 2k plus 500 more to install them. So right now its cam or spray. I am liking the safety more of the cam. I will get it professionally tuned at either AFR in Mt Clemens if the good guy is stil lthere that i hear about, Livernois Motorsports, or i might take a drive down to Speed Inc to get it done but that will cost a lot more considering ill have to get a hotel, etc. Anyone have a good suggestion around where i am (SE MI, 1 Hr North of Detroit) for a place to get a cam installed and tuned. I may check them out. I got quoted $1000 for the cam install and dyno/full tune from Speed, let me check my other options as that trip could turn well into $2000 after hotel, gas, etc.

roadrash9r

iTrader: (2)

put a nice cam in it, watch p/v clearance. And later go with some good heads and you will have the 450 ish whp without worries. And it is always there not a button away. Plus NA cars are true street warriors, nothing better than wooping a car on the juice or blower with nothing but motor!!!! Now comon guys with nitrous and blowers, im talking about putting this on a stock bottom end car, limitations.

Superman09

iTrader: (65)

Alright, yeah, I am def leaning cam now. Anyone know of a good place around me for install and tune or is Speed Inc worth the extra trip any money?

Superman09

iTrader: (65)

I jsut got an e-mail from "Vector Motorsports" in Clinton Township, He said they ar enow getting big in tuning LS1's. Anyone have any results from them. They worth it or not. $400 for full tune. Please someone input if you've been there. Thanks

roadrash9r

iTrader: (2)

havent been there but 400 sounds good. what are they using for tunnig. Hp tuners, predator, ect. I was going to go the nitrous route, but to do it right was going to be 1300. I spent 2500 on heads and cam and made 440whp. 1300 and how much is nitous a lb like 40 a bottle, and it uses 1lb every 10 seconds on a 100 shot. It will add up sooner than later.

Superman09

iTrader: (65)

yea i guess so. It is going to cost me 400 for my first tune with the stall/headers, than all other tunes after that will be 200! Ill ask him what kind of tuner and get back to ya. What type of Heads/Cam set up did u get? I will prolly end up getting the MS3 than adding some AFR 205's later

Bryan @ Speed Inc.

iTrader: (19)

i'd go to SPEEDINC. they have been doing it for a long time, have great customer service and stand behind their work. SPEED rocks!

roadrash9r

iTrader: (2)

afr 205s here, awesome heads!!!!! I went from 410 with ported ls6 heads to 440 with afrs and nothing else!!!!! I have a small cam the TR224 112 and all bolt ons. When you do change your heads go with commetic head gaskets with a thickness of .040 this will put you at 10.8-1 compression, .8 higher than stock. It will also give you a tighter quench for more HP.

SmaknaSS

iTrader: (1)

I say H/C and a small shot of Nitrous with a safe tune. I'll let you know when I blow my **** up.

roadrash9r

iTrader: (2)

not a bad idea. Did you do heads and cam first? A 50 -75 shot for a close race. of course hidden.

SmaknaSS

iTrader: (1)

I have not put the nitrous kit on yet, I'm in the process of buying one right now.

noah89

Talk to Tom or Larry at Speed Inc. They've done all my work. Good and reliable work along with reasonable pricing.

Blue Hawk

The cam (even H/C preferably) would have my vote. Power is there all the time, instantly. No bottle heater, no refill. And a cam will give you that distinctive intimidating sound that will warn others around that your not so stock anymore!

And if it's not enough, you still can do nitrous later .

Edit: And of course with nitrous, there will always be some dumbass to say that you're "cheating" .

Superman09

iTrader: (65)

Awesome. Well u conviced me on Cam than going heads, but now where to get it installed? I am good friends with the head mechanic at our Firestone. He has a 66 i believe Malibu with 4xx size engine with blower full drag car, all gutted, jsut tube chassis, car is sick. Im sure he knows a lot about engines of course, Think i should jsut have him help me install it myself? Or should i go to the trusty hands of Speed Inc for $500?

JoeyAnderson

iTrader: (20)

Depends on what you can afford. I made the stretch and invested in a professional install.

If you were in NC, I'd tell you to go to http://www.tick-performance.com , I couldn't be happier with their work.

If you can afford a professional install, that is definitely the way to go IMO.

MannyZ28

iTrader: (1)

It's a bit of a tough call. My buddy installed my cam, he knows a lot about engines and is about to start a job at Ford.....lol....of all places, he drives a 02 Lighting too, but that's besides the point. While the principles of all engines are the same, each one has it's quirks. I printed out the cam swap article from www.ls1howto.com and gave it to my buddy to read before he did the swap. It took him 12 hours from start to finish. Had I not been so damn cheap and would have bought a better valve spring tool, it would have gone quite a bit faster.

Anyhow....if you do let your buddy help you with the cam install, read that article first so you learn all the little tips and tricks. Also, get a valve spring tool...the Crane/vinci tool is very slick and lets you do two at a time, it costs around 100 bucks though. The "tim" or "larry" tool does one spring at a time and they cost around 40 bucks.

Either way, you are going to have to take the car to someone to have it tuned. Considering you're going with a fairly big cam....the MS3, I wouldn't be too happy if I would have to drive that car for any period of time on a stock tune, especially in an automatic car. Sometimes trying to save money leads you to spend more money....if you know what I mean....and it sure costs a lot in nerves too! I know I was nervous as hell when we first started the car up and I heard all those new noises!

I almost think it's a better idea to take the big headache and fear factor out of the equation and let a reputable shop like Speed Inc. do it. That way you know it's done right, and you don't have to nurse the poor thing god knows how many miles on a stock tune with a big cam.

And as far as your initial question goes....cam...all the way. Nitrous bottles tend to be empty/not ready when you need it, the cam always is. And the looks you get when you pull up to a red light or cruise through a parking lot is sooooooooooooooo worth it! I could listen to my car ideling in the garage for days!

Manny

Superman09

iTrader: (65)

Thanks, that was very informative. I guess your right. I mise well go and get it done right the first time and save money and not have to worry about having something so wrong on my stock tune driving somewhere to get a tune!Thanks! Here i come Speed Inc!